The invention relates to an electric damper for damping the relative motion between a first and a second mass.
The underlying operating principle of an electric damper for damping the relative motion between a first and a second mass by using a generator is known from DE 101 15 858 A1. A generator is known to include a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator, and corresponding magnetic field generating means, wherein a current is induced upon rotation of the rotor relative to the stator due to the rotational motion in the magnetic field, i.e. energy is generated. This means that, on the one hand, damping takes place as a result of the energy to be generated for performing the rotational motion in the magnetic field; on the other hand, the energy in form of the generator-side generated current which can be fed into the onboard electrical system can be utilized. It is also known from DE 101 15 858 A1 to provide a gearbox between two damper elements, which converts a linear motion into a rotational motion. Since the current induced by the rotational motion is proportional to the velocity, a proportional curve shape of the damping force characteristic results for the damper according to DE 101 15 858 A1.